Microwave oven

Abstract

A microwave oven is conveniently used even when a vibration and/or shock are applied to a vessel containing food by preventing the vessel from falling down. The microwave oven includes a cabinet having a cooking chamber and a driving chamber, a high frequency generating section for generating high frequency waves and supplying the high frequency waves to the cooking chamber, and a vessel supporting section for supporting a vessel containing food in the cooking chamber so as to prevent the vessel from falling due to a vibration and/or shock. The vessel supporting section includes a supporting member selectively installed to be contacted with a certain inner wall of the cooking chamber, and at least a supporting ring installed at a side of the supporting member for receiving and supporting the vessel. Here, the supporting ring is separated into two members, while the two members are elastically biased in a direction wherein the leading ends of the two members face each other and are pivotally installed at the inner wall of the cooking chamber by a hinge pin.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A microwave oven, comprising: 
       a cabinet;  
       a cooking chamber disposed inside said cabinet, said cooking chamber having a bottom, two sides, and a first coupling element formed on one of said bottom and said sides;  
       a high frequency generating means for generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation and supplying the high frequency electromagnetic radiation to said cooking chamber;  
       a supporting member removably inserted in said cooking chamber, having a second coupling element coupled to said first coupling element of said cooking chamber so that said supporting member is secured to said cooking chamber; and  
       restraining means secured to said supporting member for restraining a vessel and preventing the vessel from tipping.  
     
     
       2. The microwave oven of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       a removable tray, said tray being insertable into said cooking chamber when said supporting means is not inserted; and  
       a tray driving section disposed below said cooking chamber, protruding from said bottom of said cooking chamber, being coupled to said tray for driving said tray.  
     
     
       3. The microwave oven of  claim 1 , said supporting member comprising: 
       a vertical member for contacting one side of said cooking chamber; and  
       a horizontal member for contacting said bottom of said cooking chamber.  
     
     
       4. The microwave oven of  claim 3 , said supporting member further comprising: 
       a second vertical member for contacting the other side of said cooking chamber.  
     
     
       5. The microwave oven of  claim 4 , further comprising a second restraining means secured to said supporting member, said restraining means and said second restraining means both being attached respectively to said two sides of said cooking chamber. 
     
     
       6. The microwave oven of  claim 3 , said restraining means being attached to said vertical member of said supporting member. 
     
     
       7. A microwave oven, comprising: 
       a cabinet;  
       a cooking chamber inside said cabinet, said cooking chamber having a bottom and two sides;  
       a high frequency generating means for generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation and supplying the high frequency electromagnetic radiation to said cooking chamber;  
       a supporting member removably inserted in said cooking chamber, said supporting member comprising:  
       a first vertical member for contacting one side of said cooking chamber, said first vertical member having an inner surface; and  
       a horizontal member for contacting said bottom of said cooking chamber; and  
       a first supporting ring installed on said inner surface of said first vertical member, said first supporting ring including a pair of separate arc-shaped members each pivotally installed with a hinge pin on said inner surface of said first vertical member, each arc-shaped member having a leading end.  
     
     
       8. The microwave oven of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
       a spring disposed on each hinge pin for elastically biasing said arc-shaped members such that said leading ends face each other.  
     
     
       9. The microwave oven of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
       a second supporting ring installed on said inner surface of said first vertical member and vertically aligned with said first supporting ring.  
     
     
       10. The microwave oven of  claim 9 , said supporting member further comprising: 
       a second vertical member for contacting the opposite side of said cooking chamber from said first vertical member;  
       a third supporting ring installed on said inner surface of said second vertical member; and  
       a fourth supporting ring installed on said inner surface of said second vertical member and vertically aligned with said third supporting ring.  
     
     
       11. The microwave oven of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
       said horizontal member having a hole; and  
       a hook formed in the bottom of said cooking chamber for engaging said hole of said horizontal member.  
     
     
       12. The microwave oven of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
       said bottom of said cooking chamber having a hole; and  
       a hook formed on the lower side of said horizontal member for engaging said hole.  
     
     
       13. The microwave oven of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
       a rail formed between said first vertical member and the side of said cooking chamber for sliding said supporting member into said cooking chamber.  
     
     
       14. The microwave oven of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
       said bottom of said cooking chamber having a guide groove for supporting a rotating guide for a tray.  
     
     
       15. A microwave oven, comprising: 
       a cabinet;  
       a cooking chamber inside said cabinet, said cooking chamber having a bottom and two side walls;  
       a high frequency generating means for generating high frequency electromagnetic radiation and supplying the high frequency electromagnetic radiation to said cooking chamber;  
       a first supporting ring installed on one of the side walls of the cooking chamber;  
       a pair of separate arc-shaped members each pivotally installed with a hinge pin on the one side wall, each arc-shaped member having a leading end; and  
       a spring disposed on each hinge pin and having a first element coupled to said one side wall and a second element coupled to respective arc-shaped members for elastically biasing said arc-shaped members of said pair such that said leading ends face each other.  
     
     
       16. The microwave oven of  claim 15 , further comprising a second supporting ring installed on said one side wall of said cooking chamber and vertically aligned with said first supporting ring. 
     
     
       17. The microwave oven of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
       a third supporting ring installed on the second of said side walls of said cooking chamber; and  
       a fourth supporting ring installed on said second of said side walls and vertically aligned with said third supporting ring.